Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Greener, Faster
Germany Out in Front
Modern sustainable construction owes much of its current status to developments in Germany over the past 50 years. The country is in the forefront on matters of ecology and technology, and continues to innovate in the materials, construction and maintenance of green buildings.
Germany today has gone beyond the energy efficient approach just now becoming more widespread in the U.S. The movement in Germany is towards “Bio Bau,” or organic building. This entails not just energy efficiency, but use of local, sustainable materials that contain no harmful chemicals, careful site selection to maximize light, heating and cooling, and use of technology to either enhance or mitigate natural occurrences. For example, floating houses actually rise with flood waters.
Almost every farm in Bavaria has solar panels on the roof of the barn. When American consumers catch up with that awareness, perhaps the U.S. can begin to compete in the development and production of green technology.
Posted by editor at 05:36 AM under architecture & construction • green
